ROMEO and JULIET.

A C T I.

SCENE, The Street, in Verona.

Enter Sampson and Gregory, (with fwords and bucklers,) two fervants of the Capulets.

G

SAMPSON.

REGORY, on my word, we'll not carry coals.
Greg. No, for then we fhould be colliers.
Sam. I mean, an' we be in choler, we'll
draw.

Greg. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar.

Sam. I ftrike quickly, being mov'd.

Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike. Sam. A dog of the houfe of Montague moves me. Greg. To move, is to ftir; and to be valiant is to ftand therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'ft away. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to ftand: I will take the wall of any man, or maid of Montague's.

A 4

Greg.

Greg. That fhews thee a weak flave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

Sam. True, and therefore women, being the weakest, are ever thruft to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thruft his maids to the wall.

Greg. The quarrel is between our mafters, and us their men.

Sam. 'Tis all one, I will fhew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads.

Greg. The heads of the maids ?

Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or the maidenheads, take it in what fenfe thou wilt.

Greg. They must take it in fenfe, that feel it.

Sam. Me they fhall feel, while I am able to ftand: and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

Greg. 'Tis well thou art not fish: if thou hadst, thou hadft been Poor John. Draw thy tool, here comes of the house of the Montagues.

Enter Abram and Balthafar.

Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee.

Greg. How, turn thy back and run?

Sam. Fear me not.

Greg. No, marry: I fear thee!

Sam. Let us take the law of our fides: let them begin. Greg. I will frown as I pafs by, and let them take it as they list.

Sam. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at
them, which is a difgrace to them if they bear it.
Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Sir?
Sam. I do bite my thumb, Sir.

Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Sir?
Sam. Is the law on our fide, if I fay, ay?
Greg. No.

Sam. No, Sir, I do not bite
but I bite my thumb, Sir.
Greg. Do you quarrel, Sir?

my thumb at you, Sir:

Abr.

Abr. Quarrel, Sir? no, Sir.

Sam. If you do, Sir, I am for you; I ferve as good a

man, as you.

Abr. No better.

Sam. Well, Sir.

Enter Benvolio.

Greg. Say, better: here comes one of my mafter's kinfmen.

Sam. Yes, better, Sir.

Abr. You lye.

Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy fwashing blow.

[They fight. Ben. Part, fools, put up your fwords, you know not what you do.

Enter Tybalt.

Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

Ben. I do but keep the peace; put up thy fword, Or manage it to part these men with me.

Tyb. What drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues and thee:

Have at thee, coward.

Enter three or four citizens with clubs.

[Fight.

Cit. Clubs, bills, and partifans! ftrike! beat them down!

Down with the Capulets, down with the Montagues!

Enter old Capulet in his gown, and lady Capulet.

Cap. What noife is this? give me my long fword, hoe La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch ;— why call you

for a

fword?

Cap. My fword, I fay: old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in fpight of me.

Enter old Montague, and Lady Montague. Mon. Thou villain, Capulet

me go.

Hold me not, let

La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir a foot to feek a foe.

Enter Prince with attendants.

Prin. Rebellious fubjects, enemies to peace,
Prophaners of this neighbour-ftained fteel-
Will they not hear? what ho! you men, you beafts,
That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
With purple fountains iffuing from your veins;
On pain of torture, from thofe bloody hands
Throw your mif-temper'd weapons to the ground,
And hear the sentence of your moved Prince.
Three civil broils, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,

Have thrice difturb'd the quiet of our streets;
And made Verona's ancient citizens

Caft by their grave, befeeming, ornaments;
To wield old partizans, in hands as old,
Cankred with peace, to part your cankred hate;
If ever you difturb our ftreets again,
Your lives fhall pay the forfeit of the peace.
For this time all the reft depart away,
You Capulet, fhall go along with me;
And, Montague, come you this afternoon,
To know our further pleasure in this cafe,
To old free-town, our common judgment-place :·
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

[Exeunt Prince and Capulet, &c.
La. Mon. Who fet this ancient quarrel new abroach;
Speak, nephew, were you by, when it began?
Ben. Here were the fervants of your adverfary,
And your's clofe fighting, ere I did approach;
I drew to part them: In the inftant came
The fiery Tybalt, with his fword prepar'd,
Which, as he breath'd defiance to my ears,
He fwung about his head, and cut the winds:
Who, nothing hurt withal, hifs'd him in fcorn.

While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, Came more and more, and fought on part and part, 'Till the Prince came, who parted either part.

La. Mon. O where is Romeo! Saw you him to-day?
Right glad am I, he was not at this fray.

Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd fun
Peer'd through the golden window of the east,
A troubled mind drew me to walk abroad:
Where underneath the grove of fycamour,'
That weftward rooteth from the city fide,
So early walking did I fee your fon.
Tow'rds him I made; but he was 'ware of me,
And ftole into the covert of the wood.
I, measuring his affections by my own,
(That most are bufied when they're most alone,)
Purfued my humour, not purfuing him;

And gladly fhun'd, who gladly fled from me.
Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen
With tears augmenting the fresh morning-dew;
Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep fighs:
But all fo foon as the all-cheering fun

Should, in the fartheft east, begin to draw
The fhady curtains from Aurora's bed;
Away from light fteals home my heavy fon,
And private in his chamber pens himself;
Shuts up his windows, locks fair day-light out,
And makes him felf an artificial night.
Black and portentous muft this humour prove,
Unless good counfel may the caufe remove.

Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause?
Mon. I neither know it, nor can learn it of him.
Ben. Have you importun'd him by any means?
Mon. Both by myself and many other friends;
But he, his own affections' counsellor,
Is to himself, I will not fay, how true;
But to himself fo fecret and so close,
So far from founding and difcovery;
As is the bud bit with an envious worm, (1)

(1) As is the Bud, bit with an envicus Worm,

Ere be can spread his fweet Leaves to the Air,

Ere

Or